2010 Arizona Diamondbacks
Here is a review of the 2010 Diamondbacks prospect list, originally published January 1, 2010. THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE OLD LIST AND PRE-SEASON GRADES. THIS IS NOT A NEW LIST. The 2011 list and new grades won't be ready until the season is over and I start writing the book.
1) Jarrod Parker, RHP, Grade B-: Tommy John surgery.
2) Bobby Borchering, 3B, Grade B-: .264/.336/.404 for Low-A South Bend, 47 walks, 109 strikeouts in 455 at-bats. This is a pretty blah season from a guy supposed to have some of the best power in the '09 draft. Pretty strong power platoon split, slugs .449 against lefties but just .389 against right-handers.
3) Brandon Allen, 1B, Grade B-: .262/.403/.542 with 23 homers, 72 walks, 85 strikeouts for Triple-A Reno. I saw him play on Thursday night in Oklahoma City. Showed plenty of bat speed and a good feel for the strike zone in that game.
4) A.J. Pollock, OF, Grade B-: Out all year with a fractured elbow.
5) Mike Belfiore, LHP, Grade B-: 3.95 ERA, 88/40 K/BB in 100 innings for South Bend, 105 hits. Not a terrible season, but not a supergood one either.
6) Marc Krauss, OF, Grade B-: .311/.374/.529 with 24 homers, 47 walks, 122 strikeouts for High-A Visalia. I like the power a lot, but.....well, that BB/K is a bit worrisome, and this IS the California League.
7) Ryan Wheeler, 1B, Grade B-: .282/.338/.402 for Visalia, 35 walks, 98 strikeouts in 465 at-bats. Just promoted to Double-A, 2-for-9 so far. He hasn't been terrible but I thought he'd show more pop in the Cal League.
8) Chris Owings, SS, Grade C+: .298/.323/.447 for South Bend, nine walks, 50 strikeouts in 255 at-bats. I hate that ratio. On DL with foot injury since July.
9) Cole Gillespie, OF, Grade C+: .287/.406/.465 in 202 at-bats for Reno, .221/.259/.338 in 32 games for the Diamondbacks, though playing time not regular (77 at-bats). Saw him play Thursday and he looked kind of gassed and out of rhythm at the plate. I've seen him look really good on other occasions. The up-and-down promotions and lack of playing time in the majors may be impacting his feel at the plate.
10) Collin Cowgill, OF, Grade C+: .289/.361/.471 for Double-A Mobile, 14 homers, 51 walks, 24 steals in 456 at-bats. Nice solid campaign, a multi-skill player.
11) Matt Davidson, 3B, Grade C+: .289/.371/.504 at South Bend, 16 homers, 43 walks, 109 strikeouts in 415 at-bats. Just promoted to Visalia, 3-for-12 so far. Midwest League buzz has him looking a lot smoother at the plate than Borchering, which the numbers support overall although the BB/K wasn't too great.
12) Wade Miley, LHP, Grade C+: 3.25 ERA, 50/37 K/BB in 80 innings for Visalia, 2.24 ERA with 45/22 K/BB in 60 innings for Mobile, 129 hits in 141 innings overall, 2.58 GO/AO. He's having a very good year and should be seen as a significant sleeper for 2011.
13) David Nick, 2B, Grade C+: .254/.330/.365 for South Bend. Rather undistinguished with the bat, but he's just 20.
14) Leyson Septimo, LHP, Grade C: 4.13 ERA with 37/23 K/BB in 28 innings for Mobile, 15.00 ERA with 14/26 K/BB in 12 innings for Reno. Horrible command the big problem here.
15) Rusty Ryal, INF, Grade C: .280/.337/.379 as utility player for the Diamondbacks. Plate discipline pretty lousy, but he's been useful.
16) Kevin Mulvey, RHP, Grade C: 4.64 ERA, 98/53 K/BB in 140 innings, 139 hits for Reno. Not bad considering the league.
17) Bryan Augenstein, RHP, Grade C: 6.77 ERA, 84/33 K/BB in 104 innings for Reno, 139 hits. Has an 8.27 ERA in 10 road starts in the PCL. Not ideally-suited for this environment.
18) Barry Enright, RHP, Grade C: 2.88 ERA with 83/15 K/BB in 94 innings for Mobile, then 2.91 ERA with 31/18 K/BB in 53 innings for the Diamondbacks. Very successful season.
19) Wes Roemer, RHP, Grade C: 2.39 ERA, 43/11 K/BB in 53 innings for Mobile, but 7.12 ERA, 55/35 K/BB in 67 innings for Reno, 85 hits, 16 homers.
20) Roque Mercedes, RHP, Grade C: 5.20 ERA, 41/22 K/BB in 45 innings for Mobile, 59 hits. Unimpressive.
This system was looking pretty thin at the beginning of the season, and two of their top four prospects have missed the whole year with injury. The big group of hitters drafted in 2009 has produced mixed results so far. Enright emerged as the class of the polished right-handed strike thrower group. . .although it helps that he got to skip the pinball machine in the PCL, and I wouldn't give up on the other guys just yet. Miley and Cowgill are success sleepers for 2011.
Loading comments...